U.N. awards Nelson Mandela Prize to Brenda Reynolds and Kennedy Odede; leaders urge renewed action on poverty and inequality

The United Nations on Friday marked Nelson Mandela International Day with an informal plenary meeting that included the presentation of the 2025 United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize to Brenda Reynolds of Canada and Kennedy Odede of Kenya and a series of statements by member states urging action on poverty and inequality.

United Nations Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres praised Mandela's example, saying, "Madiba's extraordinary life was a triumph of the human spirit. He endured the brutal weight of oppression and emerged not with a vision of vengeance and division, but of reconciliation, peace, and unity." The prize, conferred every five years, honors two individuals whose work advances U.N. purposes and Mandela's legacy, organizers said.

The ceremony recognized Brenda Reynolds, identified in the meeting as an Indigenous social worker from Fishing Lake First Nation in Canada, and Kennedy Odede, founder and chief executive officer of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) in Kenya. In accepting the prize, Reynolds described…